Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Reports in the New York Times and other media about a Wisconsin priest who sexually abused deaf children have been “sloppy and inaccurate,” the then-judicial vicar of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee has said.

Correcting the public record, he said the claim Pope Benedict XVI was involved in the case is “a huge leap of logic.”

Fr. Thomas Brundage, JLC, former judicial vicar of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, wrote in Anchorage, Alaska’s Catholic Anchor about the case of Fr. Lawrence Murphy, a principal of St. John’s School for the Deaf in Milwaukee.

About 200 former students have said they were molested by Fr. Murphy, sometimes even in the confessional. Outlets such as the Associated Press claim that the priest was “spared a defrocking in the mid-1990s” because he was allegedly “protected by the Vatican office led by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger,” who is now Pope Benedict XVI.

According to Fr. Brundage, this claim was based on an archbishop’s letter which inaccurately claimed the case had been “abated.” In reality, the accused priest was still a defendant in a church trial.

In a further inaccuracy, recent media reports have failed to understand that the ability to hear cases of sexual abuse of minors shifted from the Roman Rota to Cardinal Ratzinger’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) only in 2001. While cases would “languish” in the Rota, the CDF handled cases “expeditiously, fairly, and with due regard to the rights of all the parties involved.”

“I have no doubt that this was the work of then-Cardinal Ratzinger,” Fr. Brundage insisted.

In his view, Pope Benedict XVI has in fact “done more than any other pope or bishop in history to rid the Catholic Church of the scourge of child sexual abuse and provide for those who have been injured.”

The priest said he felt the need to tell the story of the Murphy trial from the beginning. He especially protested that his comments about the Murphy case have been “liberally and often inaccurately quoted in the New York Times and in more than 100 other newspapers and on-line periodicals.”

“As I have found that the reporting on this issue has been inaccurate and poor in terms of the facts, I am also writing out of a sense of duty to the truth,” he continued. “The fact that I presided over this trial and have never once been contacted by any news organization for comment speaks for itself.”

Fr. Brundage explained the case’s back story, which he said has not been reported.

In 1996 the Archdiocese of Milwaukee revisited the allegations against Fr. Murphy because of “courageous advocacy” on behalf of the victims and their wives. While the existence of a scandal at the school during Fr. Murphy’s 1950-1974 tenure had been “common knowledge” the details were “sketchy.”

However, when the case was revisited it became obvious the archdiocese needed to take “strong and swift action” about the decades-old wrongs, Fr. Brundage reported. The then-Archbishop Rembert Weakland consented to an investigation into the child abuse allegations against Fr. Murphy and his alleged solicitation within the confessional.

As judicial vicar, Fr. Brundage conducted “gut-wrenching” interviews with the deaf victims, including one who had become a perpetrator of abuse himself.

“I also met with a community board of deaf Catholics. They insisted that Fr. Murphy should be removed from the priesthood and highly important to them was their request that he be buried not as a priest but as a layperson,” he wrote in the Catholic Anchor. “I indicated that [as] a judge, I could not guarantee the first request and could only make a recommendation to the latter request.”

In the summer of 1998, acting as judicial vicar he ordered Fr. Murphy to be present at a deposition at the Milwaukee chancery. A letter from the clergyman’s doctor said he was in frail health and could not travel far. The priest died of natural causes a week later.

Fr. Brundage also addressed the case’s documentation and recent reports about it in his Catholic Anchor article.

An August 19 letter from Archbishop Weakland to then-secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone stated that the Milwaukee archbishop had instructed Fr. Brundage to “abate the proceedings” against the accused priest.

“Father Murphy, however, died two days later and the fact is that on the day that Father Murphy died, he was still the defendant in a church criminal trial. No one seems to be aware of this,” the priest wrote in the Catholic Anchor.

Had he been asked to abate the trial, Fr. Brundage said he “most certainly” would have insisted on appeal to the supreme court of the Church or to Pope John Paul II if necessary.

Discussing the role of then-Cardinal Ratzinger, Fr. Brundage said he had “no reason to believe that he was involved at all.”

“Placing this matter at his doorstep is a huge leap of logic and information,” he continued.

Fr. Brundage added that media reports have attributed to him statements from the documents which were not in his handwriting, saying their source was “unknown” to him.

“Discerning truth takes time and it is apparent that the New York Times, the Associated Press and others did not take the time to get the facts correct,” he charged.

Citing his experience as a volunteer prison chaplain in Alaska, Fr. Brundage offered a blistering profile of convicted sexual abusers and the priests who have committed “such grievous actions”:

“They tend to be very smart and manipulative. They tend to be well liked and charming. They tend to have one aim in life — to satisfy their hunger. Most are highly narcissistic and do not see the harm that they have caused. They view the children they have abused not as people but as objects. They rarely show remorse and moreover, sometimes portray themselves as the victims.

“They are, in short, dangerous people and should never be trusted again.”

From his interviews with victims, he realized that the “disease” of abuse is “virulent and easily transmitted to others.”

“I heard stories of distorted lives, sexualities diminished or expunged. These were the darkest days of my own priesthood, having been ordained less than 10 years at the time.”

He declared abuse to be “a form of emotional and spiritual homicide.”

Fr. Brundage said that Catholic dioceses in the U.S. have taken “extraordinary steps” to ensure the safety of children and the vulnerable. In his present home, the Archdiocese of Anchorage, he reported that almost every public bathroom in parishes has a sign asking if a person has been abused by anyone in the church and a phone number is given to report abuse.

Almost all church workers are required to take yearly classes on ensuring a safe environment.

“I am not sure what more the Church can do,” he said.

He concluded his article in the Catholic Anchor by saying Fr. Murphy’s sexual abuse of minors and solicitation in the confessional were “unmitigated and gruesome crimes.”

“On behalf of the church, I am deeply sorry and ashamed for the wrongs that have been done by my brother priests but realize my sorrow is probably of little importance 40 years after the fact. The only thing that we can do at this time is to learn the truth, beg for forgiveness, and do whatever is humanly possible to heal the wounds.

“The rest, I am grateful, is in God’s hands.”+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer

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Christoph Cardinal Schönborn’s announcement that Waltraud Klasnic will head a commission dealing with victims of Catholic Church abuse and violence has been met with harsh criticism.

Schönborn said in a TV interview on Sunday that the former Styrian People’s Party (ÖVP) governor will head a special commission checking on all claims and reports of sexual abuse and violence by Catholic Church clergy.

Parish priest Rudolf Schermann, who published Catholic magazine Kirche In, said yesterday (Mon): "I would have preferred an objective atheist."

Schermann said no one could expect independent work from Klasnic since she had "strong links" to the Catholic Church.

Hans Peter Hurka, head of church-critical group "Wir sind Kirche" (We are the Church) said commission’s success will depend on who joined it.

"She is not objective in this matter and no lawyer," Jarolim said yesterday.

Asked who he would prefer to head the commission, he mentioned Karl Korinek, the former head of the Federal Constitutional Court.

Herbert Kohlmaier of the Catholic lay initiative "Laieninitiative" meanwhile praised Klanic, who was Styrian governor between 1996 and 2005, as "someone who acts correctly and who has courage".

Various hotlines set up by independent platforms to give victims of violence and sexual abuse by Catholic Church clergy a chance to talk about what they experienced received hundreds of calls over the past few weeks.

A recent survey revealed that 69 per cent of Austrians thought the Catholic Church was lacking in credibility.

Analysts have said the recent developments could serve up a new record number of people leaving the Catholic Church in Austria this year.

More than 53,000 people turned their backs on the Church in 2009.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer

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Derry's diocesan spokesman believes a 'truth commission' would be the most efficient way to deal with the current crisis in the Catholic Church.

St Eugene’s Administrator Fr Michael Canny believes such a body would by the fastest way to restore the church’s moral authority by quickly uncovering the truth about alleged child sex abuse offences and cover-ups.

He told the ‘Journal’ that no “quick fix solution” existed to deal with the crisis, which has snowballed in recent days with allegations of a cover-up by the Pope Benedict XVI himself while he was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.

“I think most people would like some quick fix solution, some method of getting rid of the drip-drip of abuse claims that are dragging us all down. But until there is some kind of light shone on our shared past failings this isn’t going to go away.”

He added: “What I would, personally, favour is some sort of commission that would be efficient, would get to the truth quickly and would be value for money. It would only be after this that we would be able to take the big steps to build confidence.”

Fr Canny admitted that the church and its leadership “is seriously compromised” by the recent wave of allegations surrounding child sex abuse.

He said he also believes it is important for church leaders to “apologise to victims on a regular basis”.

“And not only for the abuse itself but also for the fact that when so many of them told their stories they were not believed or even listened to,” he added.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer

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Italy's Roman Catholic Church says it will help to bring paedophile priests to justice after the country's bishops ruled that it was right to do so under Canon law.

The Italian Conference of Bishops stressed concern for the victims of sexual abuse and their families as they met in Rome to address the widening scandal embroiling the Church in Europe and the US.

'The key to searching for the truth is to enforce the procedures and penal rules of Canon law with rigour and transparency,' the episcopal conference said in a statement after the talks.

But the bishops also decided the rules of the Church Canon 'are not in contradiction to - and indeed converge with - honest collaboration with the state authorities charged with establishing the truth.'

The Roman Catholic Church has been thrown into crisis in recent weeks as dozens of people came forward alleging they were abused as minors by priests.

Scandals have erupted in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland, while Ireland and the US have been hit by claims of a Church cover-up of abuse committed decades ago.

The Italian bishops stressed the need to choose candidates for the priesthood with care, including by 'assessing their human and emotional maturity.'

But they also said they remained in favour of priestly celibacy, dismissing suggestions that it be may be a contributing factor in abuse cases.

'Celibacy is not about stifling or disabling sexuality, but rather, especially in our day, an alternative and humanly rich way of living out one's humanity by giving oneself entirely to Christ and the Church,' they argued.

The Vatican has said it received 3,000 reports between 2001 and 2010 of sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy committed over the past 50 years.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer

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To many, the charismatic Pope John Paul II represented much that is lacking in the dour, scholarly Pope Benedict XVI, who was once nicknamed "the Rottweiler" and is under worldwide siege for the child sex abuse scandals sweeping the Roman Catholic Church.

But even as more questions swirl around Benedict and his alleged role in the cover-ups of pedophile priests, John Paul's stellar reputation is suddenly taking a subtle beating.

A miracle ascribed to John Paul that is a prerequisite for his canonization has been questioned, and one of church's highest-ranking officials has said that John Paul ignored Benedict's pleas to mount a full investigation into sex abuse accusations against the archbishop of Vienna.

A Polish newspaper, Rzeczpospolita, reported that the former head of the Vatican's saint-making office, Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, has said that doctors may have doubts about a nun who said she had been cured of Parkinson's disease after praying to John Paul. They are investigating whether she might have had a similar condition that can go into remission.

(Martins, who remains one of Benedict's top aides, also told reporters there was "a conspiracy" against the church, without specifying who was responsible.)

And in another blow to John Paul's legacy, the controversial order the Legion of Christ formally apologized last week for the behavior of its founder, the late Marcial Maciel Degollado, whom John Paul staunchly defended despite allegations of abuse dating back to the 1950s. Maciel is believed to have sexually abused young seminarians and fathered at least three children.

As doubts were being raised about the spotlessness of John Paul's 26-year reign, a Vatican spokesman on Tuesday responded forcefully to those calling for Benedict to resign, saying that they clearly did not understand how the church operates.

"This is not some multinational company where the chief executive is expected to take responsibility," Federico Lombardi told The Washington Post. "The pope is not personally directing the actions of priests around the world. He is their spiritual leader, and he is one who has acted very clearly to confront this problem."

Lombardi's statement meshed with remarks made by Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn of Vienna. On Sunday, Schoenborn told Austrian TV that Benedict, then Joseph Ratzinger and head of the Vatican office in charge of clerical sex abuse, pressed John Paul in vain to fully investigate then-Archbishop of Vienna Hans Hermann Groer, who stepped down in 1995 after being accused of sexually molesting a schoolboy.

After Groer resigned, allegations that he had also sexually abused monks surfaced.

Reuters reported that Schoenborn said other curia officials persuaded John Paul not to investigate Groer because of the bad publicity it could bring.

"The other side won," Schoenborn said. He added that Benedict is not "someone who covers things up. Having known the pope for many years, I can say that is certainly not true."

Recent reports involving the current scandals also note that John Paul seemingly rewarded Cardinal Bernard Law after he was implicated in some of the cover-ups of clerical sexual abuse in Boston when cases there exploded in 2002.

After Law's resignation, John Paul appointed him in charge of the grand Basilica St. Mary Major's in Rome, where he remains part of the Roman curia and lives in a nearby palazzo.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer

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In wake of the media blitz on the recent surfacing of clerical sexual abuse in Europe, the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI) has released a statement encouraging Church officials to cooperate with secular authorities and police in investigating such cases.

The CEI’s statement also expressed support for Pope Benedict and called for a careful selection of candidates for the priesthood to ensure full maturity at all levels.

The bishops refuted allegations made by victims’ associations and media reports that the bishops had opposed cooperation with police and investigators, and insisted that they “support those authorities through faithful cooperation.”

The bishops' statement said that they agree that a “rigorous and transparent application of canonical procedural and criminal rules are the main path to search for the truth.”

The Italian prelates also “reaffirmed their support for the victims of abuse and their families, wounded and offended by the Church itself.”

Recent media reports have claimed that a 1962 canonical law, as well as a 2001 directive issued by then-Cardinal Ratzinger encourage secrecy and in-house investigations of clerical sexual abuse cases.

Last week, Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi strongly denied the New York Times’ claim that Vatican secrecy rules prohibited Church figures from reporting such cases to the police.

Additionally, the CEI statement came to the Pope’s defense, arguing that Pope Benedict has displayed a “determined and enlightened” attitude in confronting sexual abuse.

The CEI also praised the Pontiff for leaving "no margins of uncertainty" and refusing to "indulge in downplaying" the scandals. "He invited the ecclesiastical community to ascertain the truth of what happened and take action where needed," they said. "He has the full and affectionate support of Italy's bishops."

The statement also emphasized “the need for a careful selection of candidates for the priesthood, valuing human and emotional maturity, as well as spiritual and pastoral maturity.”

The Italian bishops’ statement comes in wake of some calls by clergy to re-evaluate the priestly requirement of celibacy.

“The value of celibacy, which is in no way an impediment or impairment of sexuality, represents, particularly in these days, an alternative and humanly enriching way to live one's humanity,” they affirmed.

Cardinal Camillo Ruini, formerly the vicar of Rome and ex-chief of the CEI, noted that in recent weeks, various entities and persons had sought to “eradicate from people's hearts their faith in the Church and, I fear, their faith in Christ and in God.”+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer

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The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that we agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

Now one major label is to scour nunneries and convents across Ireland to find a singing sensation that can compete with Lady Gaga.

"We've been looking all over Europe, but we're moving to Ireland because it's such a religious country and has a great tradition in musical performers, just look at U2 and The Corrs," said London-based Decca Records executive Oliver Harrop, who is leading the search.

The record label plans to hold auditions in Dublin during the coming weeks and visit convents in an effort to find what they describe as a "sister act for the 21st century".

Success

The label has already had clerical success with the Austrian Monks of Stift Heiligenkreuz, who achieved a best-selling album of plainchant in 2008.

But Decca admitted it had already had some difficulty locating nuns with the qualities required.

"We found the most amazing convent of singing nuns in Spain, most of them under 30 and good looking. The problem was their music was a bit happy-clappy. What we're after instead are nuns who sound more like a Gregorian chant when they're praying. It's a beautiful, ancient sound which will give listeners an escape from the stress and anxiety of modern life," Mr Harrop told the Irish Independent.

Along with recording an album, the label is lining up a big gig for the successful act.

"I think this is a great idea, not least because in 10 years' time there might not be any nuns left, and those sister still around, will probably be in nursing homes," he said.

"My only concern is that, while I do know some singing nuns, I don't know of any sisters who sing together. The Priests have been very succesful but they have been performed together long before they signed a record deal."

Singing nuns are nothing new to the industry.

In the 1960s, Sister Luc Gabriel, of the Dominican Fichermont Convent in Belgium, achieved worldwide fame as The Singing Nun with the hit 'Dominique'.

Irish nuns with good singing voices are invited to contact Oliver Harrop of Decca Records at oliver.harrop@umusic.com.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer

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The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that we agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

The Vatican and Pope Benedict XVI came under fire in the United States Tuesday for allegedly covering up for another predator priest and doing nothing to remove him from ministry.

Documents sent to AFP by lawyers representing a man who claims he was sexually abused as a teen by Father Ernesto Garcia Rubio claim the Papal Nuncio — the Vatican ambassador to the U.S. — asked the church in Miami to protect Garcia after he moved there from Cuba in 1968 after "serious difficulties of a moral nature."

"He was in ministry here in Miami for about 30 years and during that time we know of about a dozen victims that he abused," said Jessica Arbour, an attorney for the unnamed victim and five others who are suing the archdiocese of Miami for alleged abuse between 1977 and 1987.

"There was definitely a concerted effort at all levels — from the Vatican to the archdiocese of Miami and even the Cuban diocese he was originally ordained for — to cover up for and protect this guy.

"At the Vatican's request — they said, 'Please protect him' and that's what they did for 30 years," said Arbour.

The case has been in the Miami court for the past year, and in a statement posted on the Internet, Mary Ross Agosta, director of communications for the Archdiocese of Miami, said Arbour's team did not understand the workings of the church.

"What was not understood . . . is that correspondence with the Church in Cuba always took place and continues to do so through a representative of the Vatican . . . the Apostolic Nuncio," she wrote.

"This type of communication is not unique, but necessary, with countries under political suppression," she said.

The Church was primarily concerned in all cases of alleged child abuse by clergy members "for the victims and a prevailing sense of justice," she added.

Arbour also accused Pope Benedict XVI of "protecting pedophiles at the expense of parishioners and families" when he was head of the Roman Catholic church's moral watchdog, the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF).

When a bishop in the 1990s began the process of defrocking Garcia, the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome "lost the paperwork", Arbour said. Garcia is no longer a priest.

The CDF was led from 1981 to 2005 by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who was elected to the papacy in April 2005 following the death of pope John Paul II.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer

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The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that we agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

In remarks following Palm Sunday Mass, Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York urged Catholics “to express our love and solidarity” for Pope Benedict, who, given the recent media onslaught over sex abuse allegations, is “now suffering some of the same unjust accusations, shouts of the mob, and scourging at the pillar, as did Jesus.”

Following the March 28 Mass in St. Patrick's Cathedral, the prelate began his brief statement by stating that the “somberness of Holy Week is intensified for Catholics this year” as the “recent tidal wave of headlines about abuse of minors by some few priests, this time in Ireland, Germany, and a re-run of an old story from Wisconsin, has knocked us to our knees once again.”

“Anytime this horror, vicious sin, and nauseating crime is reported, as it needs to be, victims and their families are wounded again, the vast majority of faithful priests bow their heads in shame anew, and sincere Catholics experience another dose of shock, sorrow, and even anger,” Archbishop Dolan said.

But the Archbishop of New York found a more troubling aspect of the recent spate of news.

“What deepens the sadness now is the unrelenting insinuations against the Holy Father himself, as certain sources seem frenzied to implicate the man who, perhaps more than anyone else has been the leader in purification, reform, and renewal that the Church so needs,” the archbishop asserted.

“Sunday Mass is hardly the place to document the inaccuracy, bias, and hyperbole of such aspersions,” he added.“But, Sunday Mass is indeed the time for Catholics to pray for … Benedict our Pope.”

“And Palm Sunday Mass is sure a fitting place for us to express our love and solidarity for our earthly shepherd now suffering some of the same unjust accusations, shouts of the mob, and scourging at the pillar, as did Jesus.”

Archbishop Dolan then defended Pope Benedict from the articles attempting to establish that he mismanaged sexually abusive priests.

“No one has been more vigorous in cleansing the Church of the effects of this sickening sin than the man we now call Pope Benedict XVI,” Archbishop Dolan stressed.

“The dramatic progress that the Catholic Church in the United States has made – documented again just last week by the report made by independent forensic auditors – could never have happened without the insistence and support of the very man now being daily crowned with thorns by groundless innuendo.”

“Does the Church and her Pastor, Pope Benedict XVI, need intense scrutiny and just criticism for tragic horrors long past?” the prelate asked.

“Yes! He himself has asked for it, encouraging complete honesty, at the same time expressing contrition, and urging a thorough cleansing.”

“All we ask is that it be fair, and that the Catholic Church not be singled-out for a horror that has cursed every culture, religion, organization, institution, school, agency, and family in the world.”

“Sorry to bring this up,” Archbishop Dolan concluded, “… but, then again, the Eucharist is the Sunday meal of the spiritual family we call the Church. At Sunday dinner we share both joys and sorrows. The father of our family, il papa, needs our love, support, and prayers.”+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer

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The Derry diocese is unaware of the whereabouts of disgraced priest Fr John J McCullagh, the 'Journal has learned.

Although the local Catholic church aurhorities believe the scandal-hit cleric is staying with family and friends they've admitted that he has gone off the radar since leaving Strabane Parochial House last week.

Fr Canny said that the diocesan authorities had not been informed of the whereabouts of the 75 year-old cleric and did not know whether or not he had remained in the North.

Strabane Parish Priest, Fr Declan Boland, told the 'Journal' that the elderly priest was "very ill" when he was removed from the Church of the Immaculate Conception parochial house - where he had lived since 1997 - last week following outcry from local parishioners.

The scandal surrounding the cleric, who is oringinally from Co. Tyrone, flared when it was revealed that he paid £12,000 to a woman who alleged she had been sexually abused by the priest from the age of eight over a ten year period, starting in 1979.

He has always denied the allegations.

No duties

It was revealed last week that Fr McCullagh was stripped of all parish duties, including the celebration of Mass in public, although it is understood that he may have since celebrated Mass privately in the local Convent of Mercy.

The Derry diocese has confirmed that "a professional assessment" of the cleric was carried out and that the case was referred to social services after the child abuse allegations first came to light in 1994.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer

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The Catholic League says the ongoing Church abuse scandal is a homosexual crisis.

President Bill Donohoe singles out The New York Times for allegedly getting the story wrong saying, "The Times continues to editorialize about the pedophilia crisis while all along it's been a homosexual crisis."

Donohoe took out an ad in the op-ed section of The New York Times Tuesday to broadcast his anti-gay message.

In the ad he says that the Times has "teamed up" with a "radical lawyer" to weaken the Church authority and whose only agenda is women's ordination, abortion and gay marriage.

He slams the Survivors' Network of those Abused by Priests as a "professional victims' group," and says the Times is being "driven mad."

Donohoe defends the Church handling of the most recent abuse case involving Fr Lawrence Murphy in Wisconisn and appears to blame the victims' families for the failure to investigate.

He also refers to Murphy's "apparently predatory behavior."+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer

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The case of an American priest who abused deaf children for years has shaken the Vatican.

Detailed information about the sexual misconduct of the Rev. Lawrence Murphy went across the desk of Cardinal Ratzinger prior to his papacy.

Abuse allegations in Italy are also putting the Catholic Church in an increasingly tough spot.

It is late on a Thursday evening at the Vatican and it is already beginning to look like Easter.

St. Peter's Square is brightly lit, and groups attending a world youth forum are in high spirits as they sing and clap to celebrate their pope, clad in immaculate white, who has just spoken about the "Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin," behaving "as if nothing at all had happened."

These are the words of Peter Isely. Standing on a street corner one block away from the spectacle, he is determined to spoil the pope's festival of redemption.

Isely has come to Rome all the way from Milwaukee, in the US state of Wisconsin. He is a 49-year-old psychotherapist with a buzz cut and a question that has been on his mind since he was 13: "Why is my church the only institution where pedophiles continue to be employed?"

This is Isely's first visit to Rome. Isely and a handful of abuse victims were already standing on St. Peter's Square in the morning, holding up photos and adding their contribution to the process of drawing His Holiness into the maelstrom of cover-ups and revelations that has confronted the Catholic Church with its most serious crisis in decades.

While pots containing olive trees -- for Easter -- were being unloaded on St. Peter's Square, Isely talked about "Father" Lawrence Murphy from Milwaukee: "This priest molested more than 200 boys at my school. Joseph Ratzinger is responsible for the fact that Murphy was never defrocked." Isely says that he doesn't want him to resign. "I just want him to acknowledge his culpability."

He is referring to the current pope.

The scandal over child abuse by priests has rocked the Vatican more than the pope's Regensburg speech, which got him into trouble with Muslims, or the affair involving the Society of St. Pius X and the Holocaust denier Bishop Richard Williamson.

Culprits in the Cassock

"Everyone here is highly alarmed," says one official at the Curia, adding: "For Benedict, this is the most difficult challenge of his pontificate. This time it's not about theological or historical interpretation, but about his own outfit."

And about Benedict himself.

Last Wednesday, the New York Timespublished documents on the Lawrence Murphy case that Isely's victims' rights group had been trying to make public for years. It was only one case among far too many cases.

Nevertheless, it is one that casts a light on how the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), under the leadership of Joseph Ratzinger, showed more concern for the welfare of culprits in the cassock than for the welfare of abused children.

Between 1950 and 1974, Murphy stalked his pupils and molested them in cars, in dormitories and, in some cases, even in the confessional -- a doubly serious offence under Catholic Church law.

Murphy would tell the boys to confess to sexual activities with their peers. Then he would begin touching them, using his hand to masturbate them and himself.

Murphy pressured the boys to give him the names of other young sinners, whose beds he would then visit at night. There was no need to be quiet about it, because the boys were all deaf.

In 1974, Murphy was removed from the school "for health reasons" and transferred to a parish in northern Wisconsin, where he apparently continued to have contact with children and adolescents.

But the civil authorities also did nothing, and all investigations against Murphy were dropped.

Prayed and Went to Confession

It wasn't until 20 years later that the church hierarchy became active. In 1993, an expert hired by the church concluded that Murphy had no sense of guilt. The priest told her that he had essentially taken on the sins of the adolescents.

He said that if he "played" with the boys once a week, their needs would be satisfied and they wouldn't have sex with each other.

"I sensed whether or not they liked it. And if they didn't push me away, they must have liked it."

After molesting the boys, Murphy said, he always prayed and went to confession.

In June 1996, the Archbishop of Milwaukee, Rembert Weakland, turned to the then chairman of the CDF, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.

Even though it wasn't until 2001 that the church began requiring that all abuse cases in the global church be reported to the CDF, Ratzinger's office was responsible, because the "sollicitatio," or solicitation to commit carnal sin, occurred in the confessional, one of the holiest places in the church.

The severity of the case, Weakland wrote, suggested that an internal church trial would be the right approach, a trial that could end in exclusion from the priesthood.

Ratzinger didn't respond.

In December 1996, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee informed Murphy of its intention to investigate the abuse cases.

Only after a second attempt did Weakland receive a response from the Vatican, in March 1997, in the form of a letter from Tarcisio Bertone, Ratzinger's then deputy at the CDF.

Bertone wrote that he recommended an internal church trial based on the laws of 1962, which protects the participants by applying the "Secretum Sancti Officii," or secrecy on penalty of excommunication.

'Kind Assistance'

On Jan. 12, 1998, Murphy appealed directly to Cardinal Ratzinger, asking him to stop the proceedings his archdiocese had initiated.

The acts of which he was being accused, he wrote, had occurred 25 years earlier: "I am 72 years of age, your Eminence, and am in poor health. I simply want to live out the time that I have left in the dignity of my priesthood. I ask your kind assistance in this matter."

His wish was fulfilled. In April 1998, Bertone dropped the case against Murphy, in the spirit of forgiveness.

In his letter to the Bishop of Superior, Wisconsin, he wrote: "The Congregation invites Your Excellency to give careful consideration to what canon 1341 proposes as pastoral measures destined to obtain the reparation of scandal and the restoration of justice."

The letter ends with Bertone's best wishes for "a blessed Easter."

Murphy died five months later, in August 1998.

Bertone, for whom this meant that the matter was closed, wrote to the Archbishop of Milwaukee: "This Dicastery commends Father Murphy to the mercy of God and shares with you the hope that the Church will be spared any undue publicity from this matter."

Today, Tarciso Bertone is the Cardinal Secretary of State, which makes him the second-in-command at the Vatican.

Part 2: Abuse in the Vatican's Backyard

"Bertone should not have put an end to such a sensitive case without consulting his superior first," says abuse victim Peter Isely.

"Ratzinger must have concealed the cover-up, just as he must have known about the transfer of pedophile priest Peter H. to Bavaria when he was Archbishop of Munich."

Commenting last week on the "tragic case of Father Murphy," Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi merely said that the CDF "was only informed 20 years after the matter."

He also pointed out that there were never any reports to criminal authorities that would have stood in the way of the Vatican's recommendation to drop the case because of Murphy's age.

For this reason, the official Vatican newspaper Osservatore Romano denounced the media for what it called "the evident and ignoble intent to wound Benedict XVI and his closest advisers at any cost."

The Murphy case has clearly struck a nerve. Since it became public, there has been speculation, even within the walls of the Vatican, over Bertone's possible resignation.

Just Outside the Gates of the Vatican

Benedict's pontificate set out to strengthen the church through dialogue with the Eastern churches, the traditionalists and Catholics in China.

But now Benedict XVI must look on as the temple begins to totter, and as a veritable furor develops against the Roman church, and not just north of the Alps.

A widespread apathy toward all things religious has turned into aggression. Since the most recent revelations, a mood of "reckoning" has prevailed in Italy, writes historian Ernesto Galli della Loggia: "No one is forgiving the priests and the church for anything anymore."

The Vatican is now deeply concerned that the scandal could continue to spread around the world.

Why shouldn't the abuses that occurred in Irish parishes have happened elsewhere, as well?

The next wave of revelations could begin just outside the gates of the Vatican. Even in Italy, where the majority of youth work is in the hands of the church, the code of silence is beginning to crumble.

Victims' groups have been formed in Sicily, Emilia-Romagna and the country's northern regions. The groups plan to hold their first conference in Verona in September, under the motto: "I too suffered abuse at the hands of priests."

For years, the Curia in Verona covered up the abuse of deaf-mute children at a school in Chievo on the city's outskirts.

And what happens if there were also abuse cases in the Diocese of Rome? The pope is the nominal Bishop of Rome.

Internet sites are already calling upon Catholics to refuse to pay their voluntary church contribution.

A List of Horrors

A recently published book by an anonymous author, "Il peccato nascosto" ("The Hidden Sin"), enumerates the cases of recent years. It is a list of horrors.

For instance, from 1989 to 1994, a priest in Bolzano, Don Giorgio Carli, repeatedly raped a girl who was nine when the abuse began.

The relevant bishop refused all cooperation with the courts.

Only last year, the priest was declared guilty by a higher court, but by that time the statute of limitations had passed.

Today, Don Carli works as a pastor in a village in South Tyrol.

In Palermo alone, a group headed by a priest attended to 824 victims of abuse last year.

According to an investigation by the newspaper La Repubblica, more than 40 priests have already been sentenced in sex abuse cases -- "and this could be only the tip of the iceberg."

Nevertheless, Italy's bishops have yet to form an investigative commission.

The "problem was never underestimated" in Italy, a spokesman for the Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI) explained in the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, insisting that the situation is "under control."

Whatever that means.

Benedict's pastoral letter speaks a completely different language. With unprecedented openness, the pope writes: "In her (the Church's) name, I openly express the shame and remorse that we all feel." Critics in Ireland and Germany would have preferred a mea culpa.

'Listen to the Voice of God'

In November 2002, Joseph Ratzinger refused to admit that there was a crisis. He described the abuse debate in the United States as "intentional, manipulated, (and characterized by) ... a desire to discredit the church."

Now the pope writes, in his pastoral letter, that he intends "to hold an Apostolic Visitation of certain dioceses in Ireland." The term refers to a field audit of sorts, which can take months.

Even critical Vaticanologists concede that the pope, in his last few years at the CDW, made an about-face from a silent Saul to a zero-tolerance Paul.

It would appear that Ratzinger, as head of the CDW, read too many dossiers to harbor any further illusions about the state of his church.

The turning point in Ratzinger's thinking can be precisely dated to April 2003, when he banished Marcial Maciel Degollado, the founder of the Legion of Christ and a man held in high esteem by Pope John Paul II, to a monastery.

Ratzinger had been told that Maciel had allegedly sexually abused minor seminarians.

The pope began Lent this year by saying that it was a time to "return to ourselves and listen to the voice of God, in order to overcome the temptations of the Evil One and find the truth of our being."

But for the pope, perhaps the most dangerous demons are the ghosts of his own past, in Munich, Regensburg and Rome.

Benedict wants the crisis to be seen as a test, and as a purification and new beginning. He wants to lead his flock through the desert, presumably until the end of his pontificate.

But after everything that has now come to light -- the letters, the accusations, his deputy's entanglement in the Murphy case -- it is unlikely to be a feast of redemption for Pope Benedict this year.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer

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The Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy has confirmed that Cardinal Seán Brady is not under garda investigation at this point in time.

The head of the Catholic Church in Ireland was forced to reject calls for his resignation earlier this month, after it emerged that he attended two meetings in the 1970s when two children who had been abused by Fr Brendan Smyth were sworn to secrecy.

Cardinal Brady is being sued in a personal capacity, as well as in his role as Catholic Primate of All Ireland, by a woman who was raped by the notorious paedophile priest over five years.

Speaking at the AGSI Conference in Galway today, Commissioner Murphy confirmed that the Cardinal and his handling of the situation was not the subject of a garda probe.

"We are not investigating Cardinal Brady at this point in time," Commissioner Murphy said.

"What we have been doing since the Murphy and Ryan reports is reviewing our work practices, building on those… and in the next few days, as I will be telling the delegates here, we will be rolling out a comprehensive policy on investigation of sexual abuse cases."+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer

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A U.S.-based group which campaigns on behalf of victims abused by clergy arrived in London Tuesday to urge the Roman Catholic Church in England to identify "predator priests," saying it had hid past abuses.

The Roman Catholic Church is reeling from a series allegations of sexual abuse by priests that have surfaced in Germany, Ireland, Austria and the Netherlands.

"Our goal is to reach out to victims of abuse and we came (to Europe) because we had heard from so many victims saying it (abuse) is here, are you going to help us?" Barbara Dorris, of the Chicago-based Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), told Reuters.

Surrounded by photographs of abused children, and joined by three British victims who told of their ordeals, Dorris and colleague Barbara Blaine chose a spot close to Westminster Cathedral in central London to deliver their message.

The cathedral is the largest Catholic church in England and Wales.

Arriving in Europe a week ago, the pair have already toured Germany and Austria, forging victim support networks and making contact with existing ones in different cities.

Both women who were themselves abused by priests in the United States, are asking the archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols, head of the Catholic church in England and Wales, to take immediate action to tackle reports of abuse.

Blaine, SNAP's president, called on the archbishop to open up his records on possible sex crime cases in England and turn them over to the police.

The diocese of Westminster could not immediately be reached for comment.

SNAP says it has already been contacted by 45 victims in England looking for help and expects many more to come forward once proper support is in place.

"They could do so much more but they haven't," added Dorris, SNAP's victim outreach director.

"This is the beginning and we are going to publicly ask (Nichols) to intervene."+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer

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Two Asian bishops have backed a move to formally recognize Mary as “co-redemptrix, mediatrix and advocate for all Christians.”

Archbishop Ramon Arguelles of Lipa, Philippines, and Archbishop Malayappan Chinnappa of Madras-Mylapore, India were among six speakers from four continents supporting a movement to officially declare Mary “co-redemptrix, mediatrix and advocate for all Christians,” The Catholic Spirit reports.

They spoke at “A Day of Dialogue on the Fifth Marian Dogma” - a Rome event sponsored by the magazine Inside the Vatican.

Archbishop Chinnappa said a formal recognition of Mary’s role in God’s plan to redeem the world would “favor interreligious dialogue and healthy evangelization.”

It also would help ecumenism, he said, by clarifying that Mary had a subordinate, albeit special, role with Jesus and that “Catholics do not adore Mary, but venerate (her) in light on her unique cooperation with the Lord.”

“Co-” means “with” and such a title does not supersede the real redeemer, who is Christ, he said.

The Indian archbishop said the female figure, often in the form of a divine mother, holds high prominence several of in Asia’s religious traditions.

For example, the shrine of Our Lady of Good Health at Vailankanni in India, attracts millions of visitors, including Hindus and Muslims.

For many non-Christians in Asia, God is a supreme and mighty being who may trigger within them a sense of fear and trepidation, he said.

To counteract that, many religions established an “advocate to whom we can approach with less fear,” he said.

Archbishop Arguelles agreed that a solemn declaration on Mary’s role would help evangelize Asia, particularly China.

Asians also understand the Buddhist concept of a bodhisattva, who is motivated by compassion to turn away from final enlightenment and nirvana in order to “remain on earth to aid the suffering beings.”

“Is this not the role of Mary, co-redemptrix and mediatrix, which will be easily understood by the Asian soul?” he asked.

Archbishop Arguelles noted that 16th century Jesuit Fr Matteo Ricci spoke of Mary, Mother of Mercy, when he discovered that the Chinese regarded the image of the crucified Christ as being “too gruesome.”+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer

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Point the finger at General Michel Aoun, the Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir, when, without mentioning names, refers to "someone who has political and personal interest" to topple the Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, the object of harsh attacks.

Interviewed by the pan-Arab newspaper Asharq al-Awsat about the campaign launched against the head of state, the Cardinal replied that "the campaign did not come from nowhere because there are people who are planning it." And, in a subsequent question as to whether the campaign was orchestrated from Syria or from Aoun's leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, he replied "There are some who have political and personal interests and others who want to topple the President to take his place, and perhaps there are some who have other plots”.

As to the role of Syria, the Patriarch said that "Syria has left Lebanon militarily, but continues to maintain a civilian presence in Lebanon. Syrians go and come whenever they want and it is clear that they interfere in Lebanese affairs. "

On the other hand, it is in Lebanon's interest to forge "best relations with its neighbours, and the nearest neighbour is Syria”. "This is something normal, but there are events that create a distance between the two neighbours and others that bring the two neighbours closer."

Thus, "The exchange of ambassadors is a good thing, of course, but this is not everything. There are, of course, some desires”.

This is because "There may be some Lebanese who want the Syrians to return for personal purposes, but this is not clear until now”.

Patriarch Sfeir, finally, appears not to want to give weight to speculation about his resignation, as some would wish to present his upcoming visit to Rome, April 21. "Let them say what they want." Asked whether he will ever think of resigning or stepping down he adds, "when the time comes."+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer

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ARCHBISHOP DIARMUID Martin has been strongly criticised by a former spokesman for his predecessor as Archbishop of Dublin, Cardinal Desmond Connell, over his handling of the clerical sex abuse issue.

The criticism by Eddie Shaw, who was spokesman for Cardinal Connell from September 2002 to October 2003, is contained in a book, The Dublin/Murphy Report: A Watershed for Irish Catholicism?, launched yesterday.

In the book Mr Shaw criticises what he claims is Archbishop Martin’s failure to support the auxiliary bishops of his diocese in the fall-out from the Murphy report.

The report, into how cases of sex abuse of children by priests were handled by the Dublin archdiocese, was published in November.

In Chapter 13 of the book Mr Shaw asks Archbishop Martin: “Are you aware of a perception you have created that in attempting to separate yourself and your career so comprehensively from the abominable behaviour of some priests of the past and the catastrophic consequences of that behaviour in this archdiocese, that you may have added a further injustice to this appalling story?”

Mr Shaw, a director of public relations at Carr Communications, continues “do you have any awareness that in your efforts to put right the abominable injustice of clerical child sexual abuse you have added a further injustice in your treatment of your auxiliary bishops whom you have failed to support and in whom you have, in reality, expressed no confidence”?

He is particularly critical of Archbishop Martin’s appearance on RTÉ One’s Prime Time programme on December 1st last.

The archbishop said he was writing to all auxiliary bishops who served in Dublin and were named in the Murphy report as he was “not satisfied” with some of their responses so far.

He pointed out that those bishops named in the report, but no longer serving in Dublin, could not tailor their responses to people in their current dioceses.

“My view is they should publicly come forward and answer the questions to the people where these abuses took place,” he said.

Mr Shaw asks the archbishop whether he believed using Prime Time was “an appropriate way to communicate this message for the first time to the survivors/victims of clerical child sexual abuse, to five past and present auxiliary bishops, to your priests and to your people?”

He also criticises “the comprehensive failure of the communications offices of the Dublin archdiocese and the Irish Bishops’ Conference” for not having in place “a robust crisis communications procedure, including rebuttal, clarification and correction” which, he claimed, “adds one injustice to another”.

It also allowed for serious “errors of fact and misrepresentation” in the media, he said.

As an example he referred to a view “that there was widespread cover-up among all priests – this was never adequately corrected and clarified”.

Another erroneous view was “that there was ‘collective responsibility’ and consequently ‘guilt by association’ and ‘general responsibility’ among auxiliary bishops (and others), all concepts introduced by Archbishop Martin.”

And there was the view “that there was no learning curve, individually or collectively for the archdiocese, in relation to clerical child sexual abuse and the issue of paedophile priests”.

Mr Shaw was “firm” in his view that “a grave injustice has been done in the last three months to the lay faithful, good women, good men, good priests and good bishops. I have worked with Bishop Walsh and Bishop Field [former auxiliary bishops of Dublin] and so I single them out for that reason . . . This is a grave matter of injustice and to remain silent is to concur.”

A Dublin archdiocese spokeswoman said neither Archbishop Martin nor she had any comments to make on Mr Shaw’s criticisms.

Edited by Fr John Littleton and Eamon Maher, The Dublin/ Murphy Report: A Watershed for Irish Catholicism? is published by Columba Press.

THE BISHOP of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh has confirmed that he has met 70-80 victims of sex abuse during his time as bishop.

Dr Walsh said the victims were abused by the religious and clergy and also lay people, inside and outside the diocese.

“I do believe that I tried every time to treat every victim with respect and kindness and sympathy and I do have a sense of their dreadful pain,” he said in an interview.

In January, Dr Walsh formally handed in his resignation letter to Pope Benedict XVI on turning 75 and the process to choose his successor is continuing with the diocese’s 100 priests recently voting on who should succeed him.

Accounts released last December confirm that the diocese of Killaloe has paid in excess of €1.8 million to victims of past sexual abuse since 2003.

Dr Walsh said he understood the anger and disappointment of people who had been loyal to the church over how the bishops had handled the issue of clerical sex abuse.

“On the other hand, people don’t realise how much we have done over the past 15 years. There have been a small number of further mistakes and of course one mistake is too many, but by and large all of us have been committed to following the guidelines.

“It is very sad the mistakes that have been made, but I do honestly believe that nearly all of those mistakes were made historically, back a long time ago.

“I do believe we have structures in place that as far as humanly possible that something like that will not occur again.”

Dr Walsh said it would take a long time to restore bishops’ reputations.“Someone recently said to me, ‘it takes years to build trust, you can lose it in a day’ and I think it is going to take us a long time to build trust again.

“The only way we can build trust is by being open, honest, transparent, admit our failures and obviously as church people we do believe in prayer in penance.

“I do believe in the long run that all of this is going to do good for all of us, not just for church, but all the victims of abuse.

“In the atmosphere we are living at the moment, I think a bishop can get 98 per cent of it right, but if you get 2 per cent of it wrong . . . you know.”

He added: “If a full audit of the diocese of Killaloe is done by the State, I do believe that a fair assessment would say that I have been faithful to guidelines and I have co-operated with the authorities.”+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer

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Organised to coincide with Easter by the Iona Institute, it promotes the place of marriage and religion in society.

It will run for two weeks in Dublin city where the slogan "Here’s a little science, The practice of religion is good for you" will appear in 110 bus shelters.

The campaign quotes positive findings of scientific research into the role of religious belief and practice in the areas of mental health and social science from work by psychiatrist and Iona Institute patron Prof Patricia Casey.

The research was commissioned and published by the Iona Institute last year under the title The Psycho-Social Benefits of Religious Practice.

In particular the campaign emphasises findings that being actively engaged in religious participation is physically and psychologically beneficial for people.

People will also be directed to check findings at the www.religiouspractice.ie website.

Iona Institute director David Quinn said that “nothing like it has ever taken place in Ireland, or anywhere else that we know of. Its aim is to present a positive image of religion”.

He added: “Religion has a very negative image at present. The campaign was first conceived four years ago when books like The God Delusion were best-sellers. We wanted to counter this negativity by pointing to the evidence that, on the whole, religious practice is beneficial both for individuals and for society.”

He emphasised the non-denominational nature of the campaign. Its message was “not specific to any one denomination, or even any one religion. It is a generic message and applies to all the mainstream religions”, he said.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer

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THE brother of a man abused at an industrial school is planning an altar protest during communion at one of the biggest Catholic churches in the country on the most important day in the church’s calendar.

Kevin Flanagan, whose late brother Michael was a survivor of the Artane Industrial School in the 1950s, plans to lead protesters to the altar in Dublin’s Pro-Cathedral during the 11am Mass on Easter Sunday to lay children’s shoes as symbols of the children hurt by priests and religious-run institutions.

Michael Flanagan was 14 when a Christian Brother attacked him with a sweeping brush, breaking his arm.

The incident gave rise to a Dáil debate in 1954 after the Brothers refused to let the boy’s mother see him and a local TD asked the then education minister to intervene.

Despite the publicity, there was no inquiry and the Christian Brother who carried out the attack was moved to another school.

The Ryan Report on institutional child abuse last year highlighted the case as an example of the order’s failures towards the children in its care.

Kevin Flanagan said his brother was traumatised after his experiences in Artane and drank heavily, dying alone in England at the age of 59.

He believes the Ryan Report did not go far enough in its criticisms.

He also says the hierarchy have failed to respond adequately to the subsequent Murphy Report into abuse by priests in the Dublin Archdiocese.

"We’re calling for an international criminal investigation into the Catholic Church in Ireland. We need investigators from abroad to come in and get the full story. I have a petition with 5,000 names of people supporting that call."

Mr Flanagan said his protest would be peaceful but it was intended to be noticed. "I’m asking everyone in the congregation to join in and if people can’t make the Pro-Cathedral, then they should tie shoes to the railings of their own local church."

The Pro-Cathedral is the parish church of Archbishop Diarmuid Martin and his predecessor, Cardinal Desmond Connell, who has yet to speak publicly about the Murphy Report’s criticisms of his time in charge of the Dublin Archdiocese.

The archdiocese said it hoped people’s right to worship would be respected.

A spokeswoman said: "The diocese has ongoing discussions with survivors groups and their issues and concerns are well known to us."+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer

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Revelations that Pope Benedict XVI failed to do anything about reports of sexual abuse by priests years ago have raised questions about how much he knew, and when.

John Allen, senior correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter, says the Pope isn't just part of the problem, but also an important part of the solution. His op-ed, "A Papal Conversion," appeared in the New York Times.

"Prior to 2001," Allen tells host Neal Conan of then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger,"in the very few public statements he had made about this crisis, he came off, to be frank, as just another Roman cardinal in denial."

But after Pope John Paul II put Cardinal Ratzinger and his office in charge of the abuse complaints in 2001, Allen says "he began to talk much more openly about what he described as 'filth' in the Catholic Church, and became much more aggressive about prosecuting abusers."

In his papacy, Pope Benedict has been the first pope "to break the Vatican's wall of silence on this issue."

Still, Allen allows that whether the Pope has done enough is "a matter of fair debate."+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer

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Vienna’s Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, in defence of the pope, told ORF Austrian television on Sunday that Benedict wanted a full probe when former Vienna Cardinal Hans Hermann Groer was removed in 1995 for alleged sexual abuse of a boy.

But other Curia officials persuaded the then Pope John Paul that the media had exaggerated the case and an inquiry would only create more bad publicity.

“[Ratzinger] told me, ‘the other side won’,” Schoenborn said.

The other side. I suspect he was referring to a Vatican old boys’ club that Cardinal Ratzinger never joined, and which didn’t want sex abuse cases to “damage the good name of the Church” (ie, disturb their back-slapping suppers in favoured trattorie).

And the irony is that the journalists who have written lazy and hate-filled articles about Benedict XVI – such as this dreadful piece by India Knight, someone I’d previously admired – are unwittingly providing protection to the really compromised figures in the Vatican and bishops’ conferences.

The news agency of the Roman Catholic Church in Austria says a former Archbishop of Vienna, Cardinal Hans Hermann Groer, is to go into exile, because of accusations against him of sexual misconduct.

The report follows the release of a statement by the church in Vienna in which Cardinal Groer, 78, asked for forgiveness but made no admission of guilt.

“In the past three years there have been many often incorrect statements concerning me. I ask God and the people for forgiveness if I have brought guilt upon myself,” he says in the statement.

Cardinal Groer stepped down as head of the Roman Catholic Church in Austria in 1995 following charges that he had sexually abused a schoolboy 20 years earlier. After his resignation there were further allegations that he sexually molested monks.

The charges were ignored by the Church hierarchy until two months ago when a papal investigation commenced.

The inquiry was ordered by the Pope after appeals from church leaders to settle the controversy and restore the Church’s status in Austria.

Now the statement follows a request from the Pope that Cardinal Groer give up his duties and is being taken as a sign that the investigation has found against him.

The BBC correspondent in Vienna says many Catholics in Austria are bitterly divided over the issue and some have accused the Church of covering up.

The Bishop’s chancellery in Vienna said no further steps are expected from Rome.

The correspondent says this is likely to further offend the many Catholics who think Hermann Groer should no longer be a cardinal.

No further steps from Rome.

Why?

Probably because, according to Cardinal Schoenborn – who has some maverick views but is certainly not a liar – the future Benedict XVI had lost his battle to mount a proper investigation of a sex abuser Cardinal, instead of the secretive and inconclusive one that apparently took place. No wonder he demanded full authority to investigate these cases and assumed greater responsibility for them in 2001.

He’s facing a terrible situation, no doubt about it; and no doubt also he made mistakes himself: the fact that he was far more vigilant than other cardinals doesn’t mean he was vigilant enough.

But history will show that it was Benedict XVI, not John Paul II, who initiated the “purification” of the Church to remove its “filth” – his words, and uttered long before this current crisis arose.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Disclaimer

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